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The first day of Autumn falls on this coming Sunday. It’s hard to believe that we’ve already reached the last three and a half months of the year. It’s practically flown by for our family! With the holidays and winter right around the corner and our days getting shorter and shorter, I thought we should take some time to discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and how it may (or may not!) affect birth parents.
For a brief, easy-to-understand definition, I hopped over to Wikipedia and found this little one:
Seasonal affective disorder, also known as S.A.D., winter depression or the winter blues is an affective, or mood, disorder. Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout most of the year, but experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer. The condition in the summer is often referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder.
SAD is actually believed to be related to the lack of light during the winter months. While some people feel that SAD is just a temporary depression and, therefore, nothing to worry about, sometimes people suffering from SAD do need to be hospitalized and there is a potential risk for suicide. Now that we know it’s something more than just a bummed out kind of feeling, we’ll look at the symptoms (from the Mayo Clinic).
* Depression
* Anxiety
* Loss of energy
* Social withdrawal
* Increased sleep and sleepiness
* Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, including sex
* Overeating, especially foods high in carbohydrates
* Weight gain
* Difficulty concentrating and processing information
Of course, one might ask, “What, exactly, does overeating entail during the holidays? Especially foods high in carbohydrates?” You have to realize that a depressive episode is a departure from the suffering person’s “norm.” If you normally eat x-foods every x-holiday and you don’t find yourself eating x-foods everyday during the winter months, you’re probably a-okay. However, if you’re noticing a huge change in your eating along with several other symptoms, it may be something to investigate.
And so how does all of this play into the birth parent experience? What does this have to do with adoption? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a study that shows birth parents are more prone to suffer from SAD than the average non-birth parent. However, the holidays are hard enough on their own. Whether or not you celebrate religious holidays, the nostalgia that surrounds the late fall and early winter months can be hard to take when you combine adoption grief and loss. I am posting this information because it is important for birth parents to be aware that their sadness can take an unfortunate turn for the worse. If you are unaware of the symptoms of SAD, you may chalk it up to simple grief and loss. Quite frankly, it may be! However, keeping the symptoms in mind, you may help yourself (or another birth parent!) avoid a dramatic depressive episode such as a suicide attempt. Knowing that the winter months can bring about other issues on top of your grief and loss can help you identify and address sudden changes in your own mood.
Tomorrow I will list some resources and advice concerning when to contact a health care professional and other treatment options.
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For more, read:
1. Overwhelmed by Adoption Loss?
2. Core Issues in Adoption: Grief.
3. Finding a Decent Therapist.
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Photo Credit.
I suffer from SAD. Those lightboxes? — they actually do work.
And thank you, Jenna — this is a reminder to me to get mine out and start using it every morning.
Judy; glad to be of service. Here’s hoping this fall and winter season are “easy to handle.” (Or, rather, as easy as possible!)